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May 19, 2009

Raya And Bashar

Raya Asee is an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden. Dick spoke with her last fall and all Raya could talk about was her 10-year-old son, Bashar. She'd had to leave him with extended family in Jordan when she'd gone to Europe to seek refugee status. The two had not seen one another for a year and a half.

Now all of Raya's paperwork has gone through, and just a couple of weeks ago, she was at the airport in Stockholm when Bashar stepped off the plane. Bashar and Raya talk with Dick about what it was like to see one another again, and how they're adjusting to life in Sweden.

Carlos Spector is an immigration attorney in El Paso, just over the border from Juarez. He represents Mexicans seeking asylum in the U.S. Many of them are police officers, journalists, lawyers, and business owners - all refugees from the drug war. Last year Carlos became a target himself, receiving a threat from armed gunmen. Also in this show: Hope In Reality TV

Serena Nunn was nineteen years old when she was arrested in a drug bust. Her boyfriend was the dealer, but she got sixteen years behind bars. After she was released from prison, she graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in the spring of 2006. Also in this show: Immigrating To The U.S.

Tyo is a Hatian native applying for Temporary Protected Status. He was just a boy when he was sent to the U.S. to stay with his mother in Miami. He's now 20 years old, and struggling to pay for community college. Tyo talks to Dick Gordon about his innovative idea to pay for college, and his hope that he will be granted the 18-month protected status. Also in this show: Listener Follow Up: Miracle On Ice, and Finding A Sister

Deyanira Chavez attends a community college near Asheville, N.C. She crossed the border illegally with her family when she was 12 and realized immediately that doing well in school was the most important thing she could do to improve her family's way of life. Deyanira was eventually accepted into the architecture program at UNC Charlotte. But as an illegal immigrant, she had to pay out-of-state tuition. Also in this episode, Jim Trelease wrote in to tell us that he's always been a fan of the Dodgers - the players, the drama of the game, and especially the announcing of Vin Scully. One day, a complete stranger arranged a meeting between Jim and his childhood hero.

Comedian Alaudin Ullah’s parents are Bengali, and were among the many East Indian and Bangladeshi immigrants who moved to New York at the turn of the 20th century. Alaudin has been exploring the lost history of his old neighborhood, often called “Bengali Harlem.”

Huy Nguyen is one of the thousands of Vietnamese “boat people” who came to America in the 1980s. His family is now settled in Florida. Three generations all live near one another. Though no one in the family was raised Christian, the Christmas season has real meaning for them. Also: A boy meets a real Santa Claus.

Arizona restaurant owner Harjit Sodhi lost two brothers to hate crimes after September 11, 2001 - a time when many Sikhs were targeted. He says the justice and kindness in America convinced him to stay in the U.S. But now tougher immigration laws threaten his business. Also on the show: one family's unexpected confrontation with the police.

More from Making The Transition [05.19.2009]

Like many of today's veterans, Brian Iglesias came home from the war expecting to put his skills as a Marine to good use in the civilian workforce. That didn't happen. Despite his high academic achievements and military honors, Brian struggled to find an entry-level job. Brian eventually realized he had to go it alone and become an entrepreneur.